Pretty things in purple

Thrifty Purple Finds
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

Despite the distinctly grey and rainy "summer" that we've been having in Montreal, I haven't been much in the mood for blogging. I've been twittering little nothings instead, extolling the virtues of bixi mostly. Yesterday I finally pulled out my oil paints and got started re-learning how to use them. Today I went to the thrift stores to see about finding a suitable old shirt to use as a smock, but instead I came away with pretty things in purple: A dressy sort of blazer, a purple bobble necklace, and some vintage buttons. I almost got a purple polka-dotted scarf at the first shop too, until I noticed it had some stains.


Vintage buttons
Originally uploaded by allisongryski
The necklace and buttons came from the church bazaar at Mont-Royal and St-Hubert. It has quite a lot of sewing notions and some bins of old patterns. It's also where I got one of the pillow cases that I used in my quilt. And, in a funny coincidence, where I found the skirt that I'm wearing today (for $3). The blazer came from the friperie Retromania just down the street on Mont-Royal. Not as cheap as the church bazaar, but definitely higher quality stuff when it comes to the clothing. It's the usual thrift store trade-off ... if it's "curated", you're more likely to find something nice, but it's not going to be as cheap. The other thrift store I wanted to visit, on Gilford, appears to be closed for summer holidays until August 4. But it's another place I found a great $3 skirt. Perhaps tomorrow I'll check out the Salvation Army on Notre-Dame and see if I can find a smock. Or you know, maybe something else purple.

480 squares is a lot!

Picnic Quilt Top!
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

Nearly a year after I finished the back for my picnic quilt, and I've finally finished the top ... all 480 squares of it. Yay! Now to sort out how I'm going to quilt it ....

New cards in shop!

new cards
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

I've been working away on some new cards and I've started listing them in my etsy shop. There's some completely new designs, like the zen set and a mix of old-and-new like the choose-your-own cupcake set. And I decided to make a few of the romantic skulls cards. So far I've just listed one on white, but I also made some black-on-pink ones. I've also got some more of the stamped little city cards made, but not listed. I'll continue listing things in the next little while. Custom requests are, of course, always welcome.

Rather a lot of cakes

pretty cakes
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

One of the strange things about engaging in a creative activity, is that sometimes, I feel inspired and compelled to make something without really knowing why or where it's going (if anywhere). Of late, I've found myself rather obsessed with drawing little fancy dessert spreads. I have NO idea why or what I'm meant to do with these drawings. Dear mysterious mind, please enlighten me as to what's going on in my subconscious!


more pretty cakes
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

I tried painting one in watercolours instead of colouring it with pencil crayon. Still no answers. Maybe I should try painting one in oils? I'm feeling intimidated by my oil paints. Perhaps starting with something frivolous like a lot of fancy jellies and cakes is the way to go? So far, this inspiration is highly confusing.


fancy cakes and fruit
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

Any other creative types reading this have any idea how to channel apparently random inspiration into something more directed? In the meantime, it's starting to make me crave a fancy afternoon tea...


fancy dessert buffet
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

A card for the morbid romantic?

skulls in love
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

Some dear and unusual friends recently got married and as they have rather non-traditional tastes (their wedding cake was black and red and decorated with skulls), I decided that a shiny white wedding card wasn't going to really be quite right. So in order to make them a special card, I carved a new stamp... a skull with hearts for eye sockets.

I'm quite pleased with how it turned out and I hope the card made them smile. I now, however, have a stamp that isn't quite in my usual style. I'm debating whether or not I should make some similar cards for my shop or if it really was for an audience of two. So here's the question ... would YOU buy a card with a skull that only has eyes for love? You'll find the poll in the sidebar.

Shadows and light

shadows and light
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

In thinking about the word "shadow", I was really fascinated with things we don't usually think about as "shadowy"... like glass and water. I did some sketches of the light and shadow patterns coming through a drinking glass and then took some photos. I shifted some of the hue of the photos, but didn't otherwise alter them and because I removed the context of the glass, they came out looking like strange xrays. To be honest, I didn't spend as much time working these ideas out to a final end as I should have, and I think of these pieces as more of the exploratory part the process rather than a finished product.


shadows and light
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

In the past couple months, I did have several picnics with friends and some visits with family, not to mention reading several books, so I can't say as I really feel that I wasted the time. However, I've been struggling of late with finding enough creative energy in balance with my job. I'm sure it's something that everyone who's trying to be an artist "in their spare time" struggles with. And so I came to the realisation that NOW was the time to pursue my dream of being an artist and writer. I don't want to put it off until I am older, just because I have a Good Job™. So I've quit my job, to follow this dream. This is one of those decisions that takes a lot of time and thought (and a very supportive husband, family, and friends), but once it's made it feels so Right, that it almost seems like it should have been easy. It wasn't. It still isn't. I have doubts and fears, and having been reading a fabulously topical book(*), I see that they are utterly typical and so I'm trying hard to work on them and around them and through them. And the doubts are complemented by this beautiful feeling that I've been describing as a "happy bubble of excitement". Wish me luck on this journey ... it starts in just a week now!

*Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day by SARK

Of books and shells and empty shelves

bookshelf arrangement
Originally uploaded by allisongryski
I got some new bookshelves and finally (temporarily, I'm sure) have enough space to make some pretty little arrangements. The above is my very favourite one. The shelves are just the classic IKEA Billy shelves with glass doors. But I did replace the knobs with some pretty blue ceramic ones that I've had since I bought them for an apartment I lived in during university which had no knobs on the drawers.


pretty shelves
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

I haven't been creating much lately and thus, the lack of blog entries. Hopefully there will be more to share soon. I have my "shadow" project to complete this weekend, along with getting some gardening done. And with new shelves that allow me to tidily store all my fabric, surely that will just make me want to pull it out and make a mess!


library wall
Originally uploaded by allisongryski